Skeleton structure for railway cars



May 12, 1936. F. HEYNER SKELETON STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1936. F. HEYNER SKELETON STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10, 1953 z z z z I z wig May 12, 1936. F. HEYNER 2,040,257

SKELETON STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 1o, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 9

Patented May 12, 1936 v UNITED STATES SKELETON STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY Fritz Heyner, Hanover,

CABS

, assignor to Germany Franz Kruckenberg and Curt Stedeteld, both of Hanover, Germany Application March 10, In Germany llclaims.

This invention relates to skeleton structures for railway cars intended for very high speeds. Recent constructions of such cars are characterized by their stream-line shape and great reduction of the dead weight while maintaining the wheel pressure necessary for safe running. This has been attained by low weight, in combination with greatest possible length of the spatial, self-supporting frame-work forming the car body. The lateral walls of car bodies of this type consist of plane triangular lattice work, frame work and the like, the posts and diagonals of which intersect the window surface which extends along the entire car length without any interruption. The interruption of the window surface by bars of the car structure is exceedingly disturbing and a hindrance to the sight.

The present invention relates to railway car skeleton structures, the characteristic feature of which is constituted by a girder in space which, on the one hand, renders possible the bridging of long spans, in fact, the longest spans imaginable in railway car construction, and which, on the other hand, obviates in a very large measure the intersection of the window surface by rods form ing structural members of the side walls of the car.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically and by way of example in the accompanying drawings on which Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are perspective views of railway car structures designed according to this invention. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 are similar views showing further modifications, one end of each car being omitted. Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of portions of cars all as fully described hereinafter, and Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view illustrating the connection of the middle door frame to the roof structure.

Referring to Fig. 1, this represents the structure of a normal corridor passenger car which consists of the two low side-wall carriers 2| and 22 the bottom booms 23 of which are located at the height of the car floor 24 and the top booms 25 of which are located below the lower window edge; the car structure consists, further, of a horizontal carrier lying in the car floor, transverse end carriers 26 and 21 and the roof 28. The low side wall carriers 2| and 22 which may be frame work, as well as panel work, are not able to transmit the great bending moments arising with very long cars, and in view thereof the roof 28 is made use of in a particular manner for the relief of said side wall carriers. For this purpose these carriers are equipped at their ends with arms that 1933, Serial No. 660,283 March 9, 1932 are not subjected to bending moments and may be formed, for instance, by rods 29 and 3!, F18. 1.

The roof 28 is placed between the thus formed four new junction or assemblage points 3!, 32, 33 and 34 in a, flexible or articulated manner. The 5 relieving effect of the thus inserted roof consists therein that it prevents any change of position of said junction or assemblage points with respect to one another, in consequence whereof the possibility of the arising of deformations of the side 10 wall carriers is reduced, whereby also the moments are reduced, as is also the strain. The roof per se is so designed as to be compressive-proof and collapsing-proof; it may consist of individual frame-work carriers or panel-work carriers or may be a pan or tray roof with longitudinal and transverse reinforcing ribs.

The transverse frontal walls 26 and 21 may be formed by frame carriers, as shown in Fig. 1. It is, of course, at once possible to design them as 2 panel walls without diminishing their useful effect for the entire supporting structure.

In front of the supporting spatial structure proper is provided a vestibule which may have door openings and doors 35 and 36, and also wardrobe compartments and closing or partition walls, having, for example, a folded lining, as well as bufi'er holders 38 with buffers 39, drawhooks l0, WC compartments and the like.

In the same manner as the roof, also a false bottom provided below the car floor may be used for relieving the side-wall carriers, or the roof, as well as this false bottom may be employed for the purpose stated. This is the case with the constructional form shown in Fig. 2, in which was denotes the roof and ll the false bottom which is inserted between the junction 01' assemblage points ll, l5, l6 and 41 formed by the rods 42 and 43.

In particular cases, for instance with very long cars, it is oftentimes requisite to provide also middle doors besides the end or front doors. It is suited to the purpose in view to arrange the middle doors at thoseplaces where the transverse forces are smallest. In Fig. 3 the height of the 45 side-wall carrier is so much reduced at the portion that suificient space for a door opening is obtained. The top boom 52 of the side wall carrier at the portion 50 serves at the same time as do'or sill.

In a similar manner the side-wall 53, Fig. 4, is extended upwardly at both sides of a dooropening, these extensions being connected with the roof 28 by joints 54 and 55 (elastic band joints, pendulum bars and the like) which take up forces 55 only in the longitudinal direction of the car. The slight remaining transverse forces due, perhaps, to one-sided loading, are transmitted by a beam 56 connected in a moment-proof manner with the two portions of the side-wall carrier 53.

In the constructional forms illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 structure members intersecting the uninterrupted window surface in the passenger compartments are obviated. The end compartments where there are arranged the upwardly extending bars 29 and 38 can be utilized as baggage spaces, for WCs, wardrobe spaces, and the like. The same is true of the corresponding spaces at the middle door. For constructive and other reasons the uninterrupted continuous window surface is composed of individual panes. It would be possible to connect the panes practically directly with one another with the aid of suitably profiled fitting pieces and connecting members, but in many cases it is, in order to render the joints tight so as to prevent water and air from entering, also to render possible attaching blinds, rollers and the like, to be preferred to provide posts at the joints.

Such a modification is shown in Fig. 5. The side-wall carrier 51 is connected with the roof 28 by rods 58 which constitute the window posts, the connection being flexible or approximately so. Likewise the side-wall carrier which is upwardly extended at both sides of the door opening is connected flexibly or approximately flexibly with the roof 28 by the bars 58 and 60.

In some cases it is advantageous to surround the door opening with a closed frame structure 6| (Fig. 8) and to connect up the same flexibly or approximately flexibly with the roof structure at a few points such as 62, 63 and 64. Connecting up this closed frame structure 6| can, of course, be effected also in such a way that forces can be transmitted only in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the car body as illustrated in Fig. 11 wherein the upper ends of the door frame structure are fitted in sockets provided in the roof structure permitting relative vertical but not longitudinal movement between these elements. The bars may, at the same time be membersof window frames arranged in the longitudinal axis of the car body, or they may constitute parts of the transverse wall structure 65, for instance in the case of carriages with compartments, as in Fig. 8. The effect of the bars 58 consists therein that the roof is utilized also for the transmission of a part of the bending moment, this part being the smaller, the flatter the roof is. Said bars reduce considerably the collapsing length, so that the use of a flat roof which is most suited for the transmission of forces acting in horizontal direction (such as, for instance, wind forces and centrifugal forces), is rendered possible without any disadvantage for the entire structure. In Fig. 6 is shown a constructional form designed especially for railway cars for highest speeds. The car floor 66 is arranged as near to the rails as possible, and the side wall carrier 61 is extended at 68 upwardly over the running gear 69. The roof is flexibly connected with the side wall carrier 61 at II and I2. Such a flexible connection of the roof I0 with the side wall carrier 6! renders a movable connection between the roof portion I8 and the adjacent roof portion I3 necessary, but such a connection can be made only with difiiculty because of the hardly avoidable leakiness. If the roof I8 is not too stiff, it may extend at I4 (Fig. '7), without an interruption, to the upwardly prolonged side-wall structure I5.

In Fig. 9 is shown how a false bottom I6 located in close proximity to the rails can be utilized for the reinforcement of the low side wall carrier in practically the same manner as above described. In this constructional form the rest of the trans verse forces are transmitted to the roof structure I5 at the middle door 18, for instance by means of a. framework I9 arranged between the false bottom I6 and the floor 88. In general, the false bottom is a drawn structure part which, therefore, can be designed in a simple manner without any regard to collapsing security. The space arising between the floor 88 and the false bottom It may, of course, be utilized, for instance as engine space, fuel space, baggage space, or the like, if desired, with the employment of exchangeable boxes etc. In this case the false bottom I6 must be suspended from suspension rods or suspension walls 8|.

In Fig. 10 is shown a. constructional form designed according to the same constructive principles and intended for carriages with compartments, in which every compartment is to be accessible through a door. The side wall framework carrier 82 is limited to the height between the false bottom 83 and the floor 84. The fiat or vaulted roof structure 89 which is collapsing proof is inserted between the joints 85, 86, 8! and 88 that extend upwardly from the side wall carrier 82, the roof structure relieving said carrier in the described manner. The collapsing length of the roof structure 89 is effectively reduced by the arrangement of the rods 98 which constitute at the same time window posts and door posts.

I claim:

1. In a railway car the body structure of which consists of bar-work or frame-work, longitudinally extending side wall trusses'of slight height having the upper chords thereof positioned entirely below the continuously extending window openings, upwardly extending non-flexible members rigidly secured to the ends of the side wall trusses,

and a compressionand collapse-resisting roof structure connected to the upper ends of said members to provide a stress-carrying element of the body structure.

2. In a railway car the body structure of which consists of bar-work or frame-work, longitudinally extending side wall trusses of slight height having the upper chords thereof positioned entirely below the continuously extending window openings, upwardly and downwardly extending non-flexible members rigidly secured to the ends of the side wall trusses, a compressionand collapse-resisting roof structure connected to the upper ends of said members to provide a stresscarrying element of the body structure, and a tension-resisting false bottom connected to the lower ends of said members.

3. In a railway car the body structure of which consists of bar-work or frame-work, longitudinally extending side wall trusses of slight height positioned entirely below the floor and between the floor and a false bottom of the car, upwardly extending non-flexible members rigidly secured to the ends of the side wall trusses, and a compressionand collapse-resisting roof structure connected to the upper ends of said members to provide a stress-carrying element of the body structure.

4. In a railway car the body structure of which consists of bar-work or frame-work,1ongitudinally extending side wall trusses located entirely below the window openings of the car, a compressionand collapse-resisting roof structure, and upwardly extending members rigidly secured to said trusses and connecting said roof structure thereto.

5. In a railway car the body structure of which consists of bar-work or frame-work, longitudinally extending side wall trusses located entirely below the window openings of the car, a. tensionand bending-resisting false bottom and downwardly extending members rigidly secured to said trusses and connecting said false bottom thereto.

6. In a railway car the body structure of which consists of bar-work or frame-work, longitudinally extending side wall trusses of slight height having the upper chords thereof positioned entirely below the continuously extending window openings, upwardly extending non-flexible members rigidly secured tothe ends of said side wall trusses, and a compressionand collapse-resisting roof structure inflexibly connected to the upper ends of said members to provide a stress-carrying element of the body structure.

'7. In a railway car the body structure of which consists of bar-work or frame-work, longitudinally extending side wall trusses of slight height positioned entirely below the window openings of said car, downwardly extending nonfiexible members rigidly secured to said side wall trusses, and a tensionand bending-resistant false bottom connected to said members.

8. A railway car as defined in claim 1 wherein the side wall trusses are provided with upward extensions at each side of a middle door opening, said extensions being connected with the roof structure by means capable of transmitting forces only in the longitudinal direction of the car body, and an inflexible beam below said door opening constituting a substitute for the portion of said side wall trusses below the door opening.

9. A railway car as defined in claim 1 wherein the side wall trusses are provided with upward extensions at each side of a middle door opening, said extensions being connected with the roof structure by flexible connecting means, and an inflexible beam below said door opening constituting a substitute for the portion of said side wall trusses below the door opening.

10. A railway car as defined in claim 1 wherein the side truss members include a stiff frame surrounding a middle door opening, said frame being connected with the roof structure by means capable of transmitting forces only in the longitudinal direction of the car body.

11. A railway car as defined in claim 1 wherein the side truss members include a stiff frame surrounding a middle door opening, said frame being connected with the roof structure by flexible connecting means.

FRITZ HEYNER. 

